Fragile Earth the naturalist impulse in contemporary art Jennifer Stettler Parsons ; with contributions by Jennifer Angus, Mark Dion, James Prosek, Courtney Mattison, Jane Lubchenco
"Published on the occasion of the exhibition Fragile Earth: The Naturalist Impulse in Contemporary Art, Florence Griswold Museum, June 1, 2019-September 8, 2019"--Colophon
Contents:
Fragile Earth : The Naturalist Impulse in Contemporary Art / Jennifer Stettler Parsons -- Dialogue : In Search of Nature / Mark Dion and James Prosek -- Dialogue : Clay, Coral, and Climate Change : Sculpting Hope for the Ocean / Courtney Mattison and Jane Lubchenco -- Silver Wings and Golden Scales; Or, An Evening of Metamorphosis at the Lyme Art Colony / a tale by Jennifer Angus -- Plates. James Prosek -- Courtney Mattison -- Mark Dion -- Jennifer Angus
Summary:
"Just as artists of the 19th and 20th centuries participated in forging an American natural history as explorers, cataloguers, collectors, and early environmentalists, contemporary artists continue to incorporate and comment on the natural world in their art. Motivated by the inexorable rise of urban-industrial development and the subsequent deterioration of our planet, artists confront the vulnerability of our environment and the effects of global climate change to illustrate the continued relevance of ecology and nature conservation to contemporary artistic practice. In Fragile Earth: The Naturalist Impulse in Contemporary Art, leading artists Jennifer Angus, Mark Dion, Courtney Mattison, and James Prosek make natural elements their medium conceptually and literally, from prints created with eel bodies, to ceramic sculpture mimicking coral bleaching, cabinets filled with colorful plastic collected from oceans and rivers, and walls covered with shockingly beautiful, preserved insects. Bringing an artistic perspective to natural science, these essays and written conversations showcase the persuasive role artists can play in advocating for the preservation of our earth"-- Provided by publisher
